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The Super Bowl is professional sports' biggest game. With such a big stage comes the possibility of making a play that will be forever etched in the annals of time.
Over the years, countless stars have solidified themselves as legends of the sport with MVP performances. Others have captivated the minds and hearts of NFL fans forever with a singular play.
The likes of Emmitt Smith, Roger Craig, and Timmy Smith have entered themselves into NFL lore with their dominant rushing performances. Something about a spectacular catch just hits different. So with that in mind, here are the five greatest Super Bowl catches of all time
#5: Mario Manningham's fourth quarter sideline catch in Super Bowl XLVI
When the Giants and the Patriots met in the prequel to their 2012 championship rematch, the Big Blue ended a historic 18-0 season (up until the SB) for New England with just one blemish. It, however, was the most heartbreaking blemish there could have possibly been.
The second go-round was arguably even more shocking. While Randy Moss was no longer catching passes from Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Deion Branch, and Aaron Hernandez were now weapons in his arsenal.
The Giants won 21-17 because of another brilliant fourth quarter from Eli Manning that similarly included a spectacular reception from one of his secondary receivers. This time around, it was Mario Manningham who made the game-saving grab en route to a go-ahead touchdown by Ahmad Bradshaw.
No. 4: Julio Jones' fourth quarter sideline catch in Super Bowl LI
Julio Jones' sideline catch in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LI was one of the most incredible athletic displays ever in a championship game in any sport. Unfortunately, it will always be associated with the most legendary choke-job in the history of the NFL.
Down 28-9 at the start of the fourth, the Patriots came back to make it 28-20 in the final moments. Matt Ryan led the Falcons on a drive with under five minutes left down the field, which included a spectacular Jones grab over New England DB Eric Rowe.
Unfortunately for Falcons fans, Ryan continued trying to pass the ball despite Atlanta just needing a field goal to go up two scores.
Ryan took a sack and then the Falcons OL got flagged for a hold on the next play, leading to a punt, a Patriots touchdown, a two-point conversion, and eventually, a game-winning field goal to put the game away.
No. 3: Santonio Holmes' fourth quarter touchdown catch in Super Bowl XLIII
The late 2000s/early 2010s was filled with highlight reel catches during television's biggest event. The 2009 Super Bowl saw one of the most pivotal crunch-time catches in the game's history.
With 42 seconds left and the Steelers down by a field goal to the Cardinals, Santonio Holmes made a textbook toe-tap catch in the back right corner of the end zone. He somehow kept his two feet in bounds and completed the Ben Roethlisberger strike for the game-winning touchdown grab.
That was the last time Arizona made the big game, so it'll be on Kyler Murray to get them back after signing a $230.5 million extension this past week.
No. 2: David Tyree's fourth quarter catch in Super Bowl XLII
If you use the phrase 'Helmet Catch' around a New York Giants fan, all of the positive emotions about Big Blue's two-touchdown, underdog victory against Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, come to the fore.
Down 14-10 in the final minute of a game no one expected them to be competitive in, Eli Manning escaped a near sack from three Patriots defenders before launching the ball into the middle of the field.
Ancillary receiver David Tyree made a leaping grab, pressing the ball against his helmet in the process, while Patriots' S Rodney Harrison aggressively tried knocking it away. The 32-yard reception led to a touchdown moments later before one of the greatest upsets in the history of the league was completed.
No. 1: Julian Edelman's fourth quarter catch in Super Bowl LI
If you were transported back in time to halftime of the 2017 SB game and told a Patriots fan that Julian Edelman would be making a fourth quarter catch that would lead to a game-tying touchdown, they'd probably become a pissed off 'Masshole'.
Yet, it happened. And now Matt Ryan is on the Indianapolis Colts looking for his first ring at the age of 37 years after never coming close to those same heights again in Atlanta.
With 2:28 to play and the Pats trailing by eight points, 64 yards from the end zone, Tom Brady launched a bomb that was touched by Falcons CB Robert Alford.
Alford previously returned a Brady pass for the second-longest pick-six in Super Bowl history. The ball spun around and as it descended towards the synthetic turf at Atlanta's 40-yard-line, Edelman somehow came down with it, despite being outnumbered three to one.
While Brady has seven rings on two fingers, he'll likely never forget the feeling of his pal Edelman coming down with an impossible pass like that.
